Summer Shred Toolkit: 70+ Nutritional Tools to Kill Dieting Friction
Making your cut as simple as it's ever been
If I had only 3 words to sum up what makes a successful dieting strategy, it’d be this: fix your environment.
Keep the tools around that minimize friction towards attaining the objective & increase any friction that veer you from that path.
To help you build the ideal dieting framework, here’s the set of tool I cycle through myself.
No aspartame. No seed oils. No fake ingredients that worsen gut function. Build the kitchen so that eating correctly eliminates willpower and the cut runs as a default system.
A couple notes before we begin:
→ If you’d like the 9-page PDF guide sent to you, just comment “Summer Shred Toolkit” and I’ll send it your way.
→ For the complete fat loss strategy, visit here:
I. Volume Carb Swaps
Easy swaps of calorically dense versions for fiber-rich analogs that give you the same eating experience at a fraction of the caloric intake.
Retrograded Gluten-Free Overnight Oats — Easy hack to make your oats more filling: Microwave your oats the day before. Refrigerate for 12 hrs to retrograde the starch. Add your whey + fruit + cinnamon. More fiber. More volume. More satiating.
52USA Konjac Pasta — 12 calories per serving, clean ingredients (organic konjac, water, tapioca, citric acid), and the best texture of any shirataki on the market.
Miracle Noodle Konjac Rice — 5 calories per serving rice base for stir-fries & burrito bowls.
Miracle Noodle Egg White Pasta — 50 calories per serving. Satiating, protein-dense pasta alternative.
Palmini Hearts of Palm Pasta — Plant-based, potassium-dense noodle with an al dente texture. Holds sauce better than zoodles. Doesn’t get watery like shirataki.
Palmini Hearts of Palm Rice — Holds up in stir-fries where cauliflower rice disintegrates.
Spaghetti Squash — Roast once on Sunday, shred into noodles that last 2—3 days. A whole squash runs ~130 calories & yields ~6–8 cups of finished volume.
Butternut Squash — Naturally sweet, fiber-dense & high volume per calorie. Cube, toss with salt, roast at 425°F for 30 min.
Zucchini Noodles (Zoodles) — Spiralize fresh or buy pre-spiralized. Pasta swap. 2-minute sauté for hot dishes. Nearly zero caloric cost.
Cauliflower Rice — Sub for rice bases/bowls. ~25 cal per cup. Trader Joe’s Organic = my weekly staple.
Bibb Lettuce Wraps — Default tortilla swap option when you want a wrap.
Egg White Wraps — When you actually need a tortilla. 30—50 cal/wrap. Original, Southwest, Everything Bagel Wraps. Clean ingredients. No seed oils/modified starch.
Lundberg Organic Whole Grain Rice Cakes Cinnamon Toast — 70 cal each. Satisfies the crunch. Pre-training vehicle for peanut butter powder or salsa.
II. Zero / Low-Cal Beverages & Hydration
A dual win: 1) eliminate the calories & 2) use the drinks themselves as friction- reducers for mid-afternoon cravings.
Zevia — Stevia-sweetened soda. You don’t even have to worry about the artificial sweeteners anymore.
Seltzer (LaCroix / Spindrift / Bubly / Kirkland) — Any seltzer brand. Spindrift is king. Kirkland (Costco) a good budget pick.
Kettle & Fire Bone Broth — 35–45 cal per cup. 10g protein. Glycine-dense. No better tool to satisfy the warm & savory craving.
Herbal Teas — Teas (especially hot) are great for appetite suppression & satiety boost.
Electrolytes — Tons of great brands out there. Highly specific to bioindividualized requirements. Match Na/K/Mg/Ca/Cl to your sweat rate, training load & baseline dietary micronutrient intake.
Matcha — Smoother energy curve than coffee for afternoons from the L-theanine content. Opt for ceremonial grade & USDA organic. Verify the “Sold By” isn’t an Alibaba-coded dropshipper.
Recipe: Nighttime Inositol-Glycine Sweet Tea
Functional benefits & sweetness without stevia’s bitterness. Inositol supports insulin sensitivity. Glycine supports sleep.
12 oz boiling water
3—5g glycine powder
2—3g myo-inositol powder
Squeeze of lemon
Stir until dissolved. Drink hot or pour over ice.
III. High-Volume Low-Cal Produce
If there’s one variable to rule them all, it’s volume. These are the highest-ROI produce choices for exactly that. Each category is ranked by a composite score based on pure calorie density, satiety index, & volume-to-calorie ratio.
Fruit (Ranked)
Watermelon — 30 kcal/100g · 0.4g fiber · 91% water. The king of volume-per-calorie. Two full cups runs ~90 cal. Peak summer seasonal pick.
Strawberries — 32 kcal/100g · 2.0g fiber. Highest fiber-to-sugar ratio of any berry. 500g lands at ~160 cal with 10g fiber.
Cantaloupe — 34 kcal/100g · 0.9g fiber · 90% water. Summer peak. Dense beta-carotene. Slower eating than watermelon because of density.
Honeydew — 36 kcal/100g · 0.8g fiber. Near-identical to cantaloupe with a cleaner sweetness.
Raspberries — 52 kcal/100g · 6.5g fiber. The highest fiber content of any fruit on this list.
Blackberries — 43 kcal/100g · 5.3g fiber. Lower-sugar berry with the same polyphenol profile as blueberries.
Peaches & nectarines — 39 kcal/100g · 1.5g fiber. Summer peak.
Blueberries — 57 kcal/100g · 2.4g fiber. Slightly higher cal than the other berries but anthocyanin density is unmatched.
Navel/blood oranges — 47 kcal/100g · 2.4g fiber. Ranked highest on the Holt satiety index among fruits. Peel format slows eating and pith fiber extends fullness.
Apples — 52 kcal/100g · 2.4g fiber. Pectin soluble fiber forms a satiety gel in the gut.
Raw Crunch Vegetables (Ranked)
Cucumber — 15 kcal/100g · 0.5g fiber · 95% water. Pound-for-pound the lowest calorie density on this list. Eat by the whole cucumber w/ sauce of choice.
Celery — 16 kcal/100g · 1.6g fiber · 95% water. They’re not “negative-calorie” but it’s closer with celery than almost anything else. 6 cal per stalk.
Iceberg lettuce — 14 kcal/100g · 1.2g fiber · 96% water. Not nutrient-dense, but for pure volume crunch it’s excellent. Great taco shell.
Radishes — 16 kcal/100g · 1.6g fiber. Peppery bite. Near-zero cal. Pairs with almost anything.
White button / crimini mushrooms — 22 kcal/100g · 1.0g fiber. Meaty texture. Excellent bulk-up for ground beef or eggs. Much better when cooked.
Cherry tomatoes — 18 kcal/100g · 1.2g fiber · 95% water. Technically a fruit, but you get the point.
Bell peppers (all colors) — 31 kcal/100g · 2.1g fiber. Red has 3x the vitamin C of orange juice per serving. Sweet crunch vehicle.
Sugar snap peas — 42 kcal/100g · 2.6g fiber. Higher cal than the others here but higher fiber & a satisfying whole-pod chew.
Jicama — 38 kcal/100g · 4.9g fiber. Way underused. Chopped into fries or sticks & seasoned well.
Kohlrabi — 27 kcal/100g · 3.6g fiber. Dense fiber, potassium, Vit C content. Peels like a radish. Best roasted.
Cruciferous (Ranked)
Cauliflower — 25 kcal/100g · 2.0g fiber. Riced, roasted, mashed, or eaten raw. Most versatile crucifer.
Green cabbage — 25 kcal/100g · 2.5g fiber. Shredded raw in slaws, fermented as kraut, sautéed in butter. One head is ~6 cups of finished volume.
Napa cabbage — 16 kcal/100g · 1.0g fiber. Softer than green cabbage. Works raw in salads where regular cabbage is too dense.
Broccoli — 34 kcal/100g · 2.6g fiber. Roasted & seasoned at 425°F.
Red cabbage — 31 kcal/100g · 2.1g fiber. 10x the anthocyanins of green cabbage. Shred for tacos, slaws, or stir-fries.
Broccoli rabe (rapini) — 22 kcal/100g · 2.7g fiber. Grandma Phys classic. Sautéed with garlic & chili flakes.
Broccolini — 35 kcal/100g · 2.5g fiber. Milder & sweeter than broccoli. Longer tender stems. Faster to cook.
Brussels sprouts — 43 kcal/100g · 3.8g fiber. Highest-cal cruciferous here, but also highest fiber. Halve, drizzle balsamic glaze, & roast cut-side down for caramelized flavor.
Romanesco — 28 kcal/100g · 3.2g fiber. Broccoli-cauliflower hybrid. Same profile as cauliflower with a nuttier, more complex flavor when roasted.
Collard greens (sautéed) — 32 kcal/100g · 4.0g fiber. Technically cruciferous. Avoid raw. Ideal braised or as a wrap replacement for heavy flour tortillas.
Pantry & Frozen Volume
Frozen cherries — ~90 cal per cup. Let the cold slow eating pace & the tartness satisfy without triggering more.
Frozen dragonfruit — ~80 cal per cup. Potassium & magnesium-dense. Ideal for tropical smoothies.
Frozen mango chunks — ~100 cal per cup. Partially thawed. Eats like sorbet.
Frozen pineapple chunks — ~80 cal per cup. Bromelain is elite for digestion. Blends into protein smoothies for volume at low caloric cost.
Canned pumpkin purée (100% pumpkin) — 40 cal per half cup. Stir a spoonful into Greek yogurt, oats, or a shake for hidden volume & 3g fiber.
Grillo’s dill pickles — Light pre-training fuel. Great pre-HIIT. Live fermented, crunch and salt in one bite. Also one of the most underrated craving killers.
Raw kimchi & sauerkraut — Fermented vegetables to support gut microbiome diversity = enhanced ghrelin (hunger-hormone) signaling. Near-zero cal. Serve cold as a side to any protein.
Air-popped popcorn — ~30 cal per cup. Season with Tajin, Old Bay, or nutritional yeast. The volume-to-calorie ratio tough to beat.
Frozen spinach (chopped, whole-leaf) — Denser nutrition/$ than fresh. Thaw → squeeze dry → stir into eggs or shakes for more volume.
IV. Fiber & Satiety Stack
If your gut is in a healthy condition, fiber is the most underused satiety lever available. Soluble fiber absorbs 10–40x its weight in water → forms a viscous gel → stomach stretches → receptors in the gut lining fire signals up the vagus nerve to the brain → brain reads as fullness.
Psyllium Husk Powder — Viva Naturals mixes best. 5g in 12 oz of water 15–20 minutes before your biggest meal. Start low & work up to 5—10g.
Organic Chia Seeds — Soak in overnight oats or kefir for more filling breakfast. Expand 10—15x in liquid. Cheap alternative to psyllium.
Organic Inulin Powder — Prebiotic soluble fiber with mild sweetness. Ideal for overnight oats & yogurt bowls.
V. Bored Mouth Cures
Japanese culture understands the idea of “you’re not hungry, you’re just bored” best with the term kuchisabishii (口寂しい), which translates to “lonely mouth”. Some of my favorite tools for curing bored mouth.
Zellie’s 100% Xylitol Gum — My top gum pick. Xylitol has the oral health upside and the chew itself mitigates any snack impulse.
Pur 100% Xylitol Gum — Another clean gum. Cheaper alternative with a little less flavor.
Spry Xylitol Mints — Berry > Cinnamon > Peppermint > Lemon
Brushing your teeth after the last meal — Free one, yet under-discussed. Toothpaste makes food unappealing for an hour. A Pavlovian signal that the eating window has closed.
VIII. Sweetener Toolkit
Not all zero-calorie sweeteners are equal. Some of the ones we’re mitigating: aspartame, sucralose, acesulfame potassium, & saccharin.
Allulose — ~70—90% as sweet as sugar. Behaves exactly like sugar in heat → caramelizes, browns, dissolves. The only sweetener to use in baking or anything reduced on a stove.
Myo-inositol — Mild sweetness plus functional benefits (leptin/insulin sensitivity + anxiety reduction). 2—3g stirs into a hot drink well.
Glycine — ~70% as sweet as sugar. Clean, sweet taste Pairs synergistically with inositol. Also S-tier for dropping body temperature & reducing time to fall asleep at ~3—5g before bed.
Lakanto Monk Fruit Drops — Cleaner aftertaste than stevia if you dislike bitterness.
VI. Flavor Weapons
The path to upgrading every bowl.
Sauces & Dressings
Primal Kitchen BBQ, Ketchup, Steak Sauce, Mayo — Avocado oil base without seed oils, sugar, or corn syrup. One of only a few “mainstream” clean-sauce brand that actually delivers on flavor.
Noble Made Buffalo — Personal favorite buffalo sauce made with extra virgin olive oil.
True Made Foods No Sugar Added Ketchup — Sweetened with butternut squash, carrots, & apple instead of HFCS or sucralose. The cleanest no-sugar ketchup made.
G Hughes Sugar-Free BBQ or Asian Marinades — Ideal when you need a Asian-style or sweet-glaze flavor profile for bowls/stir-fry.
Fresh Salsa or Pico — 15–20 cal per 1/4 cup. Staple for any TexMex/Southwestern bowls. Make your own or buy refrigerated. Trader Joe’s selection also strong.
Huy Fong OG Sriracha — Still the best sriracha. Small amount of sugar but the flavor cannot be topped.
Coconut Aminos — Deep umami. 65% less sodium than soy sauce. Slightly sweet naturally.
White Miso — ~25 cal per tbsp. Savory flavor. Great for broths, marinades, & dressings with small quantities. Fermented so also great for digestion.
VII. Spreads & Nut Butter Hacks
Organic Peanut Butter Powder — Defatted peanut powder. 1/3 the calories of peanut butter. Mix with water for spread → add cocoa for chocolate peanut butter mousse.
Powdered Almond Butter Powder — The defatted almond butter powder alternative.
Organic Cacao Powder — ~3g carbs per tablespoon. Clean, intense chocolate. Foundation of any high-protein chocolate dessert hack.
VI. Flavor Enhancers
Bragg Nutritional Yeast — 45 cal per 2 tbsp. Cheesy-nutty umami. High B1 (thiamine). On popcorn, eggs, & roasted veggies.
Everything Bagel Seasoning (Trader Joe’s / Costco) — Zero-cal flavor for eggs, Greek yogurt based dips, & cottage cheese.
Old Bay — How to take baked sweet potatoes to the next level.
Mina Harissa — Newest addition to my lineup. North African pepper paste. ~15 cal per tbsp. Elevates marinades, bowls, & roasted veggies with minimal calorie cost.
IX. High-Protein Desserts & Frozen Snacks
The Base Ingredients
Ninja Creami — Remains my favorite health investment over the last couple years. Once you acquire, you’ll wonder how you ever operated in your B.C. era (Before Creami). It pays for itself in saved calories within a month.
Nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt — 17g protein, 90 cal per 6 oz. The foundation of half the recipes here.
2% Good Culture Low-Fat Cottage Cheese — 14g protein per 4 oz. Clean ingredients (milk, live cultures, salt). No gums or thickeners.
Siggi’s Nonfat Plain Skyr — Highest protein density of the three (17g per 5.3 oz), Icelandic-style. Thicker than Greek yogurt. Amazon
Transparent Labs Grass-Fed Whey Isolate — Minimal ingredient. No artificial flavors or sweeteners. Chocolate and vanilla are the workhorses. Amazon
Equip Grass-Fed Collagen Peptides — 14g hydrolyzed collagen peptides per scoops. Dissolves well into any hot drink.
The Recipes
Recipe: Collagen Hot Cocoa
Evening wind-down, sleep support (glycine), & dessert in one mug.
12 oz hot water or unsweetened almond milk
2 scoops grass-fed collagen peptides powder
1 tbsp raw cacao powder
3—5g glycine
2—3g myo-inositol
Pinch of sea salt
Allulose or monk fruit (if you’d like more sweetness)
Blend for ~20—30 seconds until frothy. ~120 cal.
Recipe: Ninja Creami Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream
More Ninja Creami recipes to come this summer. But for now, here’s a basic one to make a full pint at 450 cal & 50g protein total.
1 cup Good Culture 2% cottage cheese
½ cup unsweetened almond milk (or Fairlife skim)
1 scoop chocolate whey isolate
2 tbsp powdered peanut butter
1 tbsp raw cacao powder
2 tbsp allulose (what prevents the rock-solid freeze)
¼ tsp sea salt
½ tsp vanilla extract
Blend smooth, pour into Creami pint, freeze 24 hours, spin on “lite ice cream” setting, add another splash of milk, re-spin.
Recipe: Protein Fluff
High-speed blender or stand mixer, 5 minutes, massive bowl of mousse.
1 scoop whey isolate
½ cup frozen berries
2–3 tbsp unsweetened almond milk
Sweetener to taste
Blend on high, adding almond milk tablespoon by tablespoon until the mixture quadruples in volume. Eat immediately. ~180 cal & 25g protein.
Recipe: Whey Protein Mousse (no blender)
1 scoop whey isolate
2 tbsp cold water ( too much ruins it)
Pinch of salt
Shake hard in a closed container for 30 seconds. The texture transforms into a dense mousse. Top with cinnamon & fresh berries.
Recipe: Greek Yogurt + Sugar-Free Pudding Hack
1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1 tbsp dry Simply Desserts sugar-free pudding mix (chocolate, vanilla, or banana)
Mix for 60 seconds. The texture transforms into dense pudding instantly. ~130 cal, 20g protein. Simply Desserts is stevia-and-erythritol sweetened.
Recipe: Frozen Banana Nice Cream
1 frozen banana, sliced
1 tbsp raw cacao
Splash of unsweetened almond milk
Blend until smooth. ~110 cal. Real ice cream texture.
Recipe: Cottage Cheese Chocolate Freeze
¾ cup Good Culture cottage cheese
1 tbsp raw cacao
Sweetener to taste
Small handful of frozen berries
Blend smooth, transfer to bowl, freeze 45 minutes (not fully frozen, just firm). Dense chocolate mousse texture.
Ready-to-Grab
GoodPop No Added Sugar Popsicles — Real fruit. Organic. No artificial sweeteners. ~25–50 cal per pop.
Final Word
It’s 2026. We no longer need to make dieting down painful. The tools are everywhere to make your life easier in getting there.
This year is the year you’ll stack the environment in your favor & build your dream physeek. Simple.
Until next week.
Your friend,
Phys
Summer Shred Toolkit
Summer shred toolkit